The Legend of Zelda: The Ring of Destiny, Chapter 7, part 1

Four trios battle in a tournament to determine challenges for Forged By Violence! Who rises out of Gerudo Canyon to challenge the HPW Trios Champions?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Trios Tag: Ganondorf Dragmire, Ghirahim Mazokucho & Cia VS Zelda, Igos du Ikana & Midna; Ganondorf, Ghirahim and Cia win.
• HPW Trios Championship Contenders Tournament Semifinals: The Dark Forces VS The Bulblin Triplets; The Dark Forces win and advance to the finals.
• HPW Trios Championship Contenders Tournament Semifinals: The Three Masters VS Desert Flowers; Desert Flowers win and advance to the finals.

PLAY BY PLAY

HPW and HXS set the scene!

The Iron Knuckle and Dark Nut brothers reign over the Trios Division! But it was decided that challengers would have to earn their chance in a two night tournament! Volga leads Gibdo and ReDead on a redemption story while two new teams are formed! Who makes it through this opening round to stay for night two? And in a special showcase, the HPW Exquisite, Goddess and Triforce Champions combine forces to face their challengers! Will Zelda, Midna and Igos du Ikana show the champions of Hyrule that their reigns are close to the end?

Here’s your last chance to fill out a tournament bracket!

Trios Tag: Ganondorf Dragmire, Ghirahim Mazokucho & Cia VS Zelda, Igos du Ikana & Midna!

This special bonus match pits all the singles champions in HPW against their challengers! The Triforce Champion dethroned Link fair and square while the Living Blade and Dark Sorceress used questionable tactics to say the least. Will they all be in for a rude awakening before putting their titles on the line?

While the challengers enter separately, the champions surprisingly all enter together. Cia leads the way into the ring and they stand together, raising up their championships. They all smirk and taunt their challengers but referee Maron Ronron tries to keep the peace. She tells the trios to sort out and we begin with the HPW Triforce Champion and his future challenger, the Princess of Hyrule. They circle as the fans sing, “If you hate Ganon, stand up~! If you hate Ganon, stand up~!” And so, the fans stand up. Ganondorf barks at them to “knock it off and sit down.” The fans do sit down, but just change the song to “If you hate Ganon, sit down~! If you hate Ganon, sit down~!” Ganondorf waves a dismissive hand at the fans, but turns around into Zelda’s spinning back kick!

Zelda facelocks and grinds Ganondorf down, but Ganondorf powers up and back drops out! Zelda crashes down near the champions’ corner and Cia laughs at Zelda. Zelda kicks Cia’s feet out from under her and Cia smacks off the apron! Fans cheer but Ganondorf BOOTS Zelda into the corner! Ganondorf RAMS his shoulder into her, Maron counts as he RAMS his shoulder in again, but he lets off at 4 to tag in Ghirahim. Ganondorf gives Zelda a stomp before exiting and Ghirahim sweeps Zelda’s legs! Ghirahim swings in for a dropkick! Fans boo but Ghirahim takes a bow. Ghirahim drags Zelda up and wrenches an arm, but Cia gets back on the corner and demands to get in. Ghirahim wrenches Zelda’s arm again, clamps on with an armlock, and tags Cia in.

The champions mug Zelda, and Cia keeps clubbing away on Zelda’s back. Cia wrings Zelda’s arm out into the mat, then drags Zelda into the crossface! Zelda scrambles, knowing how effective the Black Magic crossface is! Zelda gets the ropebreak with a foot, Maron counts and Cia lets up quickly, to then basement dropkick Zelda out of the ring! Cia laughs at Zelda again while soaking up heat from the fans. Zelda gets back on the apron, Cia drags her up by her hair, but Zelda hotshots Cia away! Ghirahim taunts Zelda but Zelda enziguris him for it! Zelda springboards in, Cia gets under, but Cia turns around into Zelda’s dropkick! Zelda rolls and hot tags Midna!

Midna runs and hip attacks Ghirahim off the apron! Ganondorf protests to the ref but Midna runs and basement hip attacks Cia! Midna splashes down and covers, TWO! Midna stays in Cia’s way of getting to Ganondorf, gets a leg and tries to carry her to the challengers’ corner. Cia kicks and sunset flips, but Midna stays up and sits down on Cia! Cover, TWO! Cia crawls but Midna anchors a foot! Midna grapevines Cia’s leg and Igos runs over to BOOT Ganondorf off the apron! Midna holds out her magic hair arm and Igos uses that to drag her and Cia back to their corner! Zelda tags back in, slingshots and stomps Cia on the back! Midna lets go and Zelda keeps on the same leg with a stomp and a knee smash! Zelda laces up Cia’s legs and bridges back gets Cia in a MUDA LOCK!

Cia endures, claws and crawls for ropes, but Zelda cranks harder on the hold. Ghirahim gets in and kicks Zelda down! Fans boo but Igos runs in to fire off forearms on Ghirahim! Ganondorf gets in and goes after Igos, but then Midna LEAPS off the top rope! Ganondorf catches Midna’s crossbody, lawn darts her at Ghirahim, but Midna turns that into a DDT! Igos fires off strikes on Ganondorf, but Ganondorf avoids the knee thrust to run the ropes. Igos sweeps Ganondorf’s legs, Midna drops a back senton, and now Igos hits the knee thrust! Zelda drags Cia back to the challengers’ corner and CHOPS her while her team regroups. Midna tags back in, stomps a mudhole into Cia but stops as Maron counts. Midna then runs corner to corner to hip attack Cia again! She drags Cia to a cover, TWO!

Midna tags Zelda back in and Zelda La Magistrols Cia right away! TWO, and Cia rakes Zelda’s eyes! Cia whips Zelda into the champions’ corner and runs in to back elbow! Tag to Ghirahim, he CHOPS Zelda, and CHOPS, and CHOPS! Ghirahim backs off as Maron counts, and he taunts Igos and Midna. Maron has to keep them back, and that allows the three champions to get cheap shots in at the corner! Fans boo, the champions get away with it as Ghirahim plays innocent. Ghirahim drags Zelda up, CHOPS her again, but she manages to stay standing. Ghirahim laughs and eggs her on. Zelda glares right at Ghirahim as she KICKS him in the leg! Ghirahim is clearly shocked by that as he hobbles. She eggs him on now, and Ghirahim seethes as he CHOPS again!

Fans rally up as Zelda stays up again. She KICKS Ghirahim’s leg again and he hobbles again. Ghirahim uses his little turn around to CHOP again! Zelda staggers, grits her teeth, and then fakes Ghirahim out with the QUESTION MARK KICK! Zelda waistlocks, Ghirahim resists the lift, standing switch but Zelda elbows free. Zelda goes to run, Ghirahim reels her in but she breaks free with her foot and mule kicks. She runs again, but Ghirahim follows. Zelda stops and dodges his clothesline, she runs as he keeps moving, double clotheslines take them both down! The fans fire up as both Ghirahim and Zelda crawl. Hot tags to Ganondorf and Igos!

Igos fires off kicks and body shots on Ganondorf but Ganondorf boots him away. Igos rebounds, Ganondorf dodges the jumping knee, Igos ducks the roundhouse but Ganondorf narrowly avoids the Elegy of Emptiness! Fans cheer this exchange but it’s not over! Ganondorf throws big punches but Igos bobs ‘n’ weaves. Igos hits back with body shots and kicks, then intercepts Ganondorf’s counter with the spin-back KNEE! Ganondorf staggers but Ghirahim springboards in, into a jumping KNEE from Igos! Cia distracts the ref at the corner, and Wizzro slithers out from under the ring! Wizzro gets on the apron but Midna tackles him into a post! They tumble down but Igos gets distracted all the same, and he turns around into Ganondorf’s BACK HAND!

Ganondorf waistlocks Igos but Zelda is up top! Ganondorf shoves Igos away as Zelda leaps in to catch her! Ganondorf pops Zelda up but she fights off the powerbomb, huricanranas, but he blocks it! He swings Zelda back up but she SUNSET BOMBS Ganondorf down! Now Cia leaves Maron alone and Maron spots Zelda in the ring. Maron reprimands Zelda, Zelda apologizes and hurries back to her corner. Igos drags Ganondorf up and brings him over, but Ganondorf kicks Zelda’s outstretched hand away! Ganondorf ROCKS Igos with a forearm then elbows Zelda off the apron! Ganondorf whips Igos to the champions’ corner then all three coordinate for a corner knee double enziguri sandwich!

Cia tags in as Ganondorf brings Igos back out. GANON BOMB! Cia then stands on Ganondorf’s shoulders for an elevated SPLASH! Cover, Wizzro keeps Midna anchored out of the ring! The champions win!

Winners: Ganondorf, Ghirahim & Cia, by pinfall

Cia kicks her feet in a mocking yet playful manner before she gets up. The champions are given their belts while Midna RAMS Wizzro into railing! Midna throws Wizzro into the ring and follows in. Igos and Zelda also rush the ring but the champions get out. Wizzro tries to follow after Cia but Igos gives him ELEGY OF EMPTINESS! Midna hits him with a GERMAN SUPLEX, and Zelda grabs Wizzro’s wrists. Zelda glares at Ganondorf while Midna climbs on a corner to shout at Cia. Igos also glares at Ghirahim as Zelda hits Wizzro with the LIGHT ARROW!! The champions may have won on Night 1, but will things be different in just one week?

HPW Trios Championship Contenders Tournament Semifinals: The Dark Forces VS The Bulblin Triplets!

Volga, ReDead and Gibdo are being graciously given a chance to earn a rematch for the trios titles, and do not want to let Cia down! Will they simply use King Baron Bulblin’s top minions as a warm-up?

One thing about the Bulblin Triplets is that, well, they’re triplets. To make things easier for everyone, Bulblin 1 is wearing a red bandanna, Bulblin 2 is wearing blue, and Bulblin 3 is wearing green. The trios sort out and ReDead starts, only to be bumrushed by Bulblins 1 and 2! The referee has no choice but to ring the bell to get this on the record! ReDead shoves the Bulblins away but Bulblin 1 runs back in, only to gets tossed out of the ring! Bulblin 2 tries next but ReDead tosses him out onto Bulbin 1! The fans are torn but they are liking the aggression! ReDead glares at Bulblin 3, the only one left in the ring. Bulblin 3 is freaked out by ReDead, because who wouldn’t be? But Bulblin 3 fires himself up and starts throwing forearms. It isn’t doing much but Bulbin 3 keeps trying.

Bulblin 3 spins and BLASTS ReDead with a forearm, but doesn’t flinch! Fans know “He’s Not Human!” as ReDead roars and scares Bulblin 3 more! Bulblin 3 goes to run but ReDead reels him back in, back suplexes but Bulblin 3 lands on his feet. His brothers, Bulblins 1 and 2, run back in and double shoulder ReDead! ReDead staggers and rebounds into a TRIPLE dropkick from the triplets! ReDead is down and the Bulblin Triplets fire up! But ReDead sits right up! Bulblins 1 and 2 push Bulblin 3 forward as they bail out of the ring! Fans laugh at their fear, but then shout as Volga LEAPS at Bulblin 2 and takes him out with a knee! Gibdo grabs Bulblin 1 and POSTS him! Bulblin 3 is distracted by the assault on his brothers, and ReDead pops him right up to an Electric Chair Drop!

ReDead drags Bulblin 3 up and puts him in the Dark Forces corner and throws big body shots. The referee counts but ReDead lets up at 3 to tag in Gibdo. Gibdo and ReDead mug Bulblin 3, then Gibdo brings Bulblin 3 around to POST him! Tag to Volga, Gibdo drags Bulblin 3 out and they hit Bulblin 3 with a back suplex neckbreaker combo! Cover, TWO! Volga is already annoyed with Bulblin 3 and he keeps him down with an armlock. Tag to ReDead, ReDead tags in Gibdo. ReDead and Gibdo double whip Bulblin 3 to the open corner. Gibdo runs in to corner clothesline! ReDead runs in to corner splash! Volga runs in, but Bulblin 2 saves Bulblin 3 and Volga runs into buckles! Fans cheer as Bulblin 3 hurries for his corner!

ReDead runs at Bulblin 3 but gets dumped out! Gibdo rushes Bulblin 3 but is sent into the corner! Bulblin 3 stomps away and Bulblin 2 tags in! Bulblin 2 also stomps away, then 2 and 3 bring Gibdo up. Bulblin 1 returns and climbs up top! Bulblins 2 and 3 both try to lift Gibdo but he fights them off! Gibdo BOOTS Bulblin 1 off the top rope!! Bulblin 1 tumbles to the ground and hard while Gibdo throws Bulblins 2 and 3 into each other. ReDead drags Bulblin 2 out and RAMS him into railing! Fans boo as ReDead RAMS Bulblin 2 into the apron then RAMS him into railing again! Gibdo whips Bulblin 3 HARD into the Dark Forces corner! Bulblin hits buckles then the mat, and Gibdo takes his time stalking over to him.

Gibdo drags Bulblin 3 up and tags in Volga. Gibdo whips Bulblin 3 and ReDead is there to SPEAR Bulblin 3 down! ReDead drags Bulblin 3 up, roars right in his face and feeds him to Gibdo’s DISCUS LARIAT! Bulblin 3 flips through the air before hitting the mat! Volga looms over Bulblin 3 while the ref gets Gibdo and ReDead to go back to their corner. Volga builds from seething to fired up as Bulblin 3 manages to crawl. Volga runs, BURNING STOMP! Cover, the Dark Forces win!

Winners: The Dark Forces, by pinfall (advances to the finals)

The triplets were no match for the angry and determined Berserker and his behemoths! But they’re not done, either! Volga goes out and aims at Bulblin 2, to SUPERKICK him into the front row! He then goes around and sees Bulblin 1 floundering to his feet. Bulblin 1 staggers into a SUPERKICK! Volga grabs a mic and gets back in the ring. “NO MERCY! We will show NO MERCY!” The Dark Forces WILL reign over all of HPW, Volga guarantees it! It does not matter who wins the other match, because they will be shown NO MERCY! Volga throws the mic down and leaves, Gibdo and ReDead following behind. Will no mercy bring them back to the gold?

HPW Trios Championship Contenders Tournament Semifinals: The Three Masters VS Desert Flowers!

Two new trios have risen up to answer opportunity knocking at the door! Master Kohga has convinced Garo Master and Master Stalfos to join him in a golden journey! Meanwhile, Gerudo Canyon gives home field advantage to Riju, Aveil and Bularia! Who meets The Dark Forces in the finals?

Fans are already going wild for the hometown heroes as they make their entrances! Kohga can be seen twirling a finger in mock enthusiasm while his team waits. The trios sort out, and Kohga insists he start against Aveil. Fans sing “Aveil~! Aveil, Aveil, Aveil~! Aveil~…! Aveil~…!” as she circles with Kohga. They tie up, are in a deadlock but Aveil manages to use some leverage to bring Kohga to the ropes. Kohga turns things around, Aveil turns it back around, and they end up in an open corner. Referee Tiger Sahasrahla counts, Aveil lets up and fans applaud the clean break. Kohga keeps his cool as he and Aveil circle again. They tie up, Kohga wrenches to a wristlock, and cranks on it to bring Aveil to a knee.

Fans rally up as Aveil endures. Aveil stands, spins through and wrenches the wristlock onto Kohga. Kohga rolls, rolls, rolls, and keeps rolling even after Aveil lets go. He stops rolling, holding out a hand to tag, but he’s ended up in the wrong corner! He turns around into Aveil’s forearm! Aveil throws more forearms then whips. Kohga sunset flips over her back drop but Aveil rolls through to basement dropkick him down! Aveil covers, TWO, but she stays on Kohga with a chinlock. She jams her knee into Kohga’s back then cranks back harder on the chinlock. Kohga endures, fights his way up and throws body shots but Aveil knees low. Aveil whips, Kohga reverses, Aveil handsprings but Kohga avoids her, only to get hit with another dropkick! Fans fire up while Kohga bails out.

Aveil builds speed but Kohga moves, so Aveil tiger feints through the ropes. The fans cheer even more as Kohga gets upset. Kohga gets up on the apron but Aveil handspring kicks him down! Aveil tags Riju and Riju climbs up the corner. Kohga stands and Riju leaps for a flying kabuki elbow! Down goes Kohga! Riju puts Kohga in the ring, waves to the audience as they chant, “Riju, Riju! Ri~ju, Riju, Riju! La la lala lalalalalala la!” But Kohga is crawling for his corner! Aveil and Bularia shout to Riju and Riju hurries but Kohga tags in Garo Master! Fans keep singing as Garo hops in and circles with Riju.

Riju and Garo tie up, Garo headlocks, shifts to a hammerlock and back to a headlock for the takeover. Riju headscissors, Garo pops out and roles reverse as Riju hits the headlock takeover and Garo headscissors. Garo squeezes tighter to keep Riju from popping out, but fans rally up as Riju hops around. Riju hops up to a handstand and slips out! She taunts Garo by making a V for victory with her fingers, before she mule kicks Garo down! Cover, ONE, but Riju tries again, ONE! Riju drags Garo up, wrenches the arm and twists the wrists. She pulls on the fingers but Garo reaches for ropes. Riju cranks on the wrist but Garo gets the ropes to flip through and arm-drag Riju away. Riju blocks the next arm-drag to arm-drag Garo back, and the two dropkick but they cancel out! Fans cheer as the two get up and stand off.

Garo and Riju reset, but Bularia wants in now. Fans cheer for that, too, so Riju tags her in! Fans sing, “We love Bu-la-ria~! We love Bu-la-ria~!” matching the tune of La donna è mobile. Bularia dares Garo to face her, but Master Stalfos wants in. Garo obliges and tags him in, and the fans cheer again. Stalfos and Bularia circle as the fans build in energy. They tie up, Stalfos uses his superior height and leverage to push Bularia back, but she turns it around to put him on the ropes. Sahasrahla calls for the break, Bularia lets up, and shows chop! But she was just faking Stalfos out, and pats him on the shoulders. Fans cheer again as Bularia and Stalfos reset.

Bularia and Stalfos approach, feeling out the grapple. Stalfos shoots in, gets up and under and SLAMS Bularia to the mat! Bularia fights off the leg lock, grabs an arm and tries to drag Stalfos into hold of her own. Stalfos stays on his feet as Bularia leg scissors his arm. Stalfos dead lifts Bularia for a POWERBOMB! Matchbook cover, TWO, and Bularia still has the arm! She drags him down, tries to turn him over, but he rolls and rolls her up, TWO! Stalfos throws a punch but Bularia uses it for a takedown! ARMBAR! Stalfos clasps his hands together but Kohga rushes in and kicks Bularia! Sahasrahla reprimands Kohga but Aveil runs in and shotgun dropkicks Kohga down!

Riju also comes in, and both she and Aveil bring Stalfos up. They double whip, Aveil drop toeholds for Riju to drop an elbow. Bularia drops a leg, then shifts to a Chancery, and both Aveil and Riju hit basement dropkicks! Fans are fired up as the Desert Flowers all take a bow, lined up from shortest to tallest. Bularia stays in and brings Stalfos up for a wrench to wristlock. Stalfos ROCKS Bularia with a forearm! He whips her to ropes, tilt-o-whirl scoops but she slips off! Bularia kicks but Stalfos blocks, but she enziguris! Stalfos staggers, Bularia runs and forearms but he still stays up. Bularia tries again, he still stays up. Bularia runs a third time, but he CYCLONE KICKS her down! Fans boo as Stalfos drags Bularia back up. Stalfos shouts, “TIME TO FLY!” and he suplex TOSSES her across the way!

Stalfos stalks Bularia to the ropes, drags her over to the corner and tags in Garo. Garo climbs up as Stalfos scoops Bularia, and they combine for a flying leg drop sidewalk slam! Garo covers, TWO! Garo keeps Bularia from her corner with an armlock and chinbar. Bularia endures as the fans rally up. Bularia fights up, pries the chinbar off, and spins around to go after Garo’s arm! Garo scrambles around, reaches for a tag but Bularia whips him away. Garo ducks and dodges, Kohga tags in and Garo gets around Bularia for a waistlock! Bularia elbows him away, swings at Kohga but Kohga gets around to atomic drop! He holds Bularia in place for Garo to run and GAMANGIRI her into a SIDE LEG SWEEP! Kohga covers, but Riju breaks it! Sahasrahla reprimands but the fans cheer as Riju hurries away.

Kohga brings Bularia up and clubs her to the corner. Tag to Stalfos and Stalfos whips Kohga around, Kohga taunting Riju and Aveil before he’s sent into the Masters’ corner. BIG corner splash! Kohga feeds Bularia to Stalfos for a fireman’s carry, TKO! Cover, TWO!! Bularia barely survives and the fans go wild! Stalfos grows frustrated, and he drags Bularia up. Stalfos bumps her off buckles, throws a big back elbow, then ROCKS her with a spinning forearm! Fans change the song to “Let’s Go, Bu-la-ria~! Let’s Go, Bu-la-ria~!” as Stalfos hoists her up top. Stalfos climbs up to join her but she fights back. Bularia clubs Stalfos down, but he ROCKS her with another spinning forearm! Stalfos climbs back up, brings Bularia up, and hits a SUPERPLEX!! Cover, but Aveil and Riju both break it!!

Garo and Kohga rush in and brawl with Aveil and Riju! Sahasrahla tries to restore order, but Kohga throws Riju out first and Aveil throws Garo out second. Kohga swings on Aveil, she dodges and uses the ropes to go up and headscissor Kohga out of the ring! Stalfos charges Aveil but she slips out and enziguris him back! Stalfos staggers into a ROUNDHOUSE! Aveil sees Garo get up and leaps to METEORA while Bularia hits Stalfos with a SNAP SAIDO! Fans are thunderous as Bularia aims from a corner and waits for Stalfos to rise. Stalfos sits up, Bularia runs, SHINING WIZARD!! Cover, Desert Flowers win!!

Winners: Desert Flowers, by pinfall (advances to the finals)

The fans explode with excitement! Their hometown heroes have won their high stakes trios debut together! Riju and Aveil celebrate with Bularia and even dance around before the referee raises their hands in victory. The mic is handed to Riju first to speak to the crowd. “Vasaaq, everyone! Sarqso for coming and cheering us on. Oh, sorry, I’m going between languages.” She thanks everyone here and watching at home for supporting HPW, and for cheering her team on. She’s so excited to be teaming with two of her best friends ever, two amazing Vai-, er uh, women wrestlers. And now that the Trios Championships are open gendered, Riju vows on behalf of the team to become the first ever all Vai team to hold those belts! The fans cheer as Riju passes the mic over to Aveil.

Aveil also thanks the fans for their support. “Was that match exciting or what?” Fans cheer in agreement. On behalf of the team, Aveil says Master Kohga, Garo Master and Master Stalfos are all incredible wrestlers, and this could’ve gone either way. But the Desert Flowers were not going to let their debut, in their homeland, be a loss! And they will keep winning until they have those belts, just as “Riju-hime-tan” vowed! Bularia takes the mic last and takes a moment not to be emotional before speaking. “SA’OTEN!!” The fans cheer and even echo the Gerudo exclamation, “SA’OTEN!!”

Bularia continues by saying that Zelda deserves some credit for today. She set something in motion, and the wrestling world in Hyrule is fired up. These three have that fire, too, and will show the world what Gerudo wrestlers, what women wrestlers, can do! “We will win those titles, because we must win those titles! For the dreams of our vabas! For the dreams of their vehvis, and their vehvis’ vehvis! We promise that the desert will bloom with gold! Sarqso!” The fans cheer as Bularia gives Riju the mic back. Riju says that they must go now and prepare these next six days for the finals! “So until then, sav’orq, mwah! And sav’orr, POW!” The Desert Flowers are just as motivated, if not more so, than the Dark Forces! Can Riju, Aveil and Bularia keep that powerful promise they’ve made?

My Thoughts:

Woo! I’m riding pretty high from the emotion I put behind the character promos there for both Dark Forces and Desert Flowers. Huh, two teams with “DF” made it to the finals. I just resisted calling it “da finals” right there. But first, Bulblin Triplets were definitely losing. The Dark Forces want those belts back, the Bulblin Triplets are just King Bulblin’s henchmen, they were basically glorified jobbers as it was. And while I may have done the three Masters a disservice, especially Stalfos in his “return,” getting a “hometown pop” moment just felt natural. Especially since Gerudos outside of Ganondorf needed to be featured. The finals are going to be great stuff next week. [shout outs]

The champions VS challengers match was definitely going to have a finish that doesn’t affect championship match math. I learned a lot about that from the filler-not-filler tags NJPW puts on, especially during Summer Struggle. In the end, it just seems right that Igos takes the loss at the hands of Ganondorf and Cia. Ganondorf has beaten Igos before, and Cia just gets to add on. Those title matches are going to be interesting, and I’m already having a hard time figuring out how to write them and what the different finishes would mean for the future.